The Present Situation

The other day I was out and about with my mom shopping for a blessing outfit for Beck and I thought of a GOOD present for Wendell. (Blessing outfit is similar to a Christening outfit. In the LDS--Mormon--faith babies are taken before the congregation and given a name and blessing during a special prayer. Although the babies can wear anything, most families dress their babies in white. Baptism isn't done until the age of 8 and we baptize by immersion.)

So, unbeknownst to Wendell, I returned the duplicate card reader and bought Wendell a new pair of temple pants. (In the temple, Latter-day Saints wear all white.) Somehow, over the years Wendell's pants have...um...shrunk and he's been renting pants for the last couple of years. So I surprised him with something that he wants and needs. I brought the pants home, wrapped them in Christmas wrapping paper, put a bow and a tag on it and put it under the Christmas tree. When Wendell got home from work we went downstairs and I presented him with his new gift.

Wendell was definitely surprised and he thought it was "cute" that I wrapped the gift up again. Unfortunately, the pants are the wrong size so Wendell will still have to return them. But at least I thought of something original.

Now I need to pause and make fun of Wendell a bit. Just a bit. You were all impressed that I got an iPod radio, huh? An ipod radio is a great gift. It would be even better if I owned an ipod. Yessiree bob, Wendell gave me an ipod radio and I have never in my life owned an ipod. Fortunately for me, Wendell owns 4. (He has an iTouch, a 60 gig iPod, a Nano and a Shuffle.)

The day after Christmas, Wendell set up the iPod radio. He left it on the kitchen counter right next to where Nathan eats lunch. (We all eat at the "bar" side of the counter sitting on stools.) As soon as I realized that the radio was peril I unplugged it and moved it to the master bedroom. Later that evening, when Wendell was home from work, we talked about the radio. He showed me how it fit his new iTouch, whereas his radio did not. He was also worried about this radio and our kids because the iPod docks out to one side and on Wendell's radio the iPod docks in the middle and is surrounded by radio, thus protecting the ipod.

"So," I said, "I don't get this radio do I."

"It would probably be best if I took this one to work," Wendell confessed.

"Do I get your old iPod with the iPod radio?"

Wendell balked. "That is a 60 gig iPod. You'd never need it! This one," (he held up a thin iPod) "is all you'll need."

"I really don't want the Shuffle," I admitted.

"This isn't the Shuffle. This is the Nano. It holds about two bazillion songs. You'll never fill it up."

"You have 4 iPods!!!"

"No, I have..." Wendell stops and counts in his mind. "Yea," he grins, "I have 4 iPods."

"Can I take all the country music off of it?"

Wendell chuckles as he packs up the radio. And I've never seen it again. Or his old one. I just want to point out that Wendell bought ME a radio that would fit HIS iTouch with no intention of giving me either. Why didn't he wrap up his radio and give it to me rather than give me a new one then take it to work? I'm not mad at all. But I think it's really funny...giving me what he really wanted then keeping it. (Shaking head) Funny.